Ladder-gripping attachment for boots or shoes



( No Model.)

D. B. HANSOOM. LADDER GRIPPING ATTACHMENT FOR BOOTS QR SHOES- l /his/H on the rung of the ladder.

llniirtjn Srarns THEE.

arnnrr LADDER GRlPPING ATTACHMENT FOR BOOTS OR SHOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 579,577, dated March 30, 1897.

Application filed June 4, 1896. Serial No. 594,259. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DARIUS B. HANSCOM, a citizen of the United States, residing in Salem, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Ladder-Gripping Attachment for Boots or Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

Persons, such as painters, for example, who are obliged to stand with their feet resting upon rungs of ladders find that their shoes give way and break at the shank or instep. Inasmuch as it is practically impossible for one to stand fora great length of time with the ball of the foot upon the rung it is commonly the practice of painters and others to stand with the rung of the ladder beneath the instep or shank next the heel; but even this position involves a considerable strain not only on the shoe but on the wearer.

It is the object of this invention to provide an attachment for the boot or shoe which will relieve both the wearer and the shank from the strain produced by the Weight of the body Moreover, the invent-ion provides means for preventing the foot from slipping on the rung.

The nature of the invention in detail is fully described below and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my device. Fig. 2 represents the same applied to a shoe which is in position upon the rung of a ladder indicated by broken lines.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

I11 this device I provide an integral plate, preferably metallic and consisting of the following portions, viz: the flat horizontal por tion A, which is adapted to lie under the heel of the shoe; the vertical portion B extending up from the portion A in front of and next the heel; the inclined or slightly-curved portion 0, which extends forward from the upper edge of the portion B and conforms to the general shape of the shank or instep, broadening slightly toward its forward end, and the broad fiat portion D, which extends under the sole toward the ball of the foot. These portions A B G D conform closely to the heel, shank, and ball of the shoe. The

portion 0 is thickened at G, and immediately forward of said thickened part between the portions 0 and D is a horizontal transverse These braces are provided with the long horizontal slots K, through which the broad body portion L of the strap extends. At one end of this portion L the strap is longitudinally slitted into two portions L, which are provided with buckles P, while at the other end of the portion L the strap is slitted into the .two fly portions L, suitably perforated for engagement with the buckles.

The plate is laid in the position indicated in Fig. 2, and the fly ends L of the straps are drawn over the instep and around the heel, as shown, and then inserted in the buckles P. Thus the'attachinent is prevented from slipping on the foot. The groove E prevents the device from slipping on the rung, while the plate itself supports the shank of the foot in such a manner that no strain is applied thereto or is apparent to the wearer. The braces K not only make provision for the strap, but materially strengthen the device at the shank or instep.

I claim-- The herein-described ladder-gripping attachment for boots and shoes, consisting of the plate constructed with the flat horizontal portion A, vertical portion B, shank portion 0 and sole portion D, all made integral, said plate being formed between the sole portion D and shank portion 0 with the thickened transverse portion O, and immediately in front of said thickened portion with the transverse, horizontal groove E, and said integral plate being further provided 011 the under side of 

